


Who We Are (Who We Were)

by Sunny_Apollo



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Blood, F/M, Gang AU, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Child Abuse, aaron and neil are roommates, guns and knives, so far i mean, this is not as dark as it seems
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-01
Updated: 2017-11-01
Packaged: 2019-01-28 00:19:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12593832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunny_Apollo/pseuds/Sunny_Apollo
Summary: College student Neil Josten has been a real person for two years. Living with his roommate Aaron Minyard, and away from a bloody past, Neil didn't  want anything to change, but a bleeding identical copy of his roommate breaking into his place tends to change things.





	1. one

**Author's Note:**

> Me: I can't post this fic now im busy with college and tests and projects also this fic is not even half finished in my head  
> Me to me: post the first chapter  
> Me: u right

"It's your turn," said Neil to Aaron, face serious. They had a system for this and Aaron was breaking one of the rules of being a decent roommate.

Aaron groaned, "just this once, Josten! I told you I have a date with Katelyn."

The two of them were currently standing in their kitchen on either side of the counter, having a staring contest.

"We're gonna starve to death, and you're going on a date?" Asked Neil shaking his head disappointedly. "I should've never introduced you to Katelyn."

"How many times are you gonna use that when I don't do something? And stop being so fucking dramatic for once," argued Aaron, glaring at Neil.

It's true, Neil introduced Aaron to  Katelyn one day at their university, he had some classes with her and they somehow got into the subject of roommates. Neil started complaining about how annoying Aaron was, and she started complaining about her own roommate, Marissa.

"As long as I possibly can, of course. Thanks to me, you're not a miserable loner anymore. You're welcome," said Neil, crossing his arms and smirking. He just really liked to mess with Aaron and anger the grumpy guy.

"Ugh. I swear to god, Josten!" Snapped Aaron, "can't you just buy the groceries this one time! I'll do it the next time!"

Neil smiled, "if I make the run to the grocery store this time, you'll do it the next three times AND take the trash out for the next two weeks."

Aaron hit the counter with his fist and glared at Neil, "I'll buy the groceries two time, and take the trash for ONE week only."

"Hmm," Neil pretended to think, "I guess that'll do for now."

"You're the devil. And your red hair is the physical proof," said Aaron walking out of the kitchen.

Neil smiled and opened the fridge to make a list of what they needed. The fridge was almost empty except for the Mayonnaise bottle, three lemons, and an empty pizza box.

He sighed and took a piece of paper from the counter beside the fridge, and started writing what they needed. 

Being a college student, Neil found, was the worst thing that could happen to a person, but he still loved it more than his previous life. People in college were (technically) adults, but they don't have money. And when they try to find a job, the employers ask for the most impossible requirements. Like have a ten year experience, or know how to juggle, or frigging fly to and from work.

He may have exaggerated a bit, but still.

After Neil finished writing the list, he put it in his pocket and walked out of the kitchen. It was three in the afternoon, and Aaron's date was in two hour, so he was walking from his room to the bathroom and back again to his room, clothes everywhere.

"Relax. It's not like you're gonna propose or anything. It's only the second date."

Aaron ignored him and slammed his bedroom door shut. Neil laughed and walked to his own bedroom to change into something appropriate for going outside. He settled for a pair of dark jeans and a big hoodie that went to his thighs, he brushed his hair back with his hand, and got out of his room.

Aaron was waiting for him by the apartment door, he was wearing a white button up shirt and pants, "how do I look?" He looked nervous.

"Eh," said Neil, putting on his sneakers on.

"Why do I even bother asking you when you look like a homeless man every day of the week," Aaron rolled his eyes and opened the door. 

Neil followed him out but took the stairs down while Aaron took the elevator. Neil got to the car first.

It was actually their neighbor's car, but the woman was so old she gave them her car to use sometimes in return for them to buy her groceries and fix stuff around her apartment.

Aaron got behind the wheel with Neil in the passenger seat. Aaron started the car and drove them to the grocery store. "I won't be home until later tonight."

"Hmm."

The rest of the drive was silent until Katelyn texted him freaking out about the date, Neil assured her that everything is okay and the two of them should stop freaking out over nothing.

Aaron dropped him off by the store, Neil gave him a 'good luck' before going in and starting his shopping.

He took a shopping cart and moved from an aisle to another and got everything a college student needed to survive. So basically, he stocked up the ramen noodles, and got instant coffee, then got three pints of ice cream, after that he got the 'essentials'.

After he was done he walked to the checkout counter and paid for everything, ignoring the weird look the cashier was giving him. When he walked out of the store the sun was over the horizon and the sky was a mix of red, orange, and pink. 

The bags in his cart were heavy so he won't be able to walk all the way back to his apartment,  and besides the ice cream would melt. So he got a taxi and told him his destination.

 

Twenty five minutes later, the taxi stopped outside his apartment. After he gave the cabbie his fare and took the bags from the trunk, Neil walked into his building.

No one was at the front desk, which was normal. Neil pushed the elevator button and the doors opened a few seconds later. He walked inside and before he could press his floor, he saw a smudge of red on the second floor button. _His_ floor.

Neil knew what blood looked like and this was it. Memories of his time in Baltimore came crashing into his mind. It can't be his father because that man washed his hands clean of his son. And Neil didn't have any problem with that, in fact, he liked it this way.

So who was bleeding in the elevator? Aaron and him lived on the second floor with two more people. The old lady across from them, and a middle aged single mom with her six year old daughter. 

Neil held his bags and took the stairs up to his floor. It can't be anyone he knows, maybe it was just an accident from the kids in the third floor, or a joke. A _prank_.

He didn't need to worry.

When he reached his floor everything was as quiet as it normally was. Neil walked to his apartment door and put the bags on the floor so he could find his keys in his pockets. He pushed the key in the keyhole after he found them, but the door was already unlocked.

Did Aaron leave the front door _open_? That idiot had a tendency to do that.

Neil took his bags and walked to the kitchen after he locked the door behind him. He put the bags on the counter and put the ice cream pints in the freezer. As he was putting the ramen in the cabinet, he heard something hit the floor in the bathroom.

Neil quickly took a knife from the drawer and texted Aaron to see if he was home. Aaron didn't reply so Neil quietly walked towards the source of the noise.

He was tip toeing in the hallway with his knife out, and saw that the bathroom door was slightly open and the lights were on. He couldn't see anyone outside, so he continued walking towards it.

He didn't make a sound, just in case it wasn't Aaron. He wouldn't want the intruder to know he's onto them.

Neil was right outside the bathroom when he started hearing heavy breathing from inside. No, please. Calling the cops was out of the question, just because of his, well, history and _family_. 

He held his breath and used his free hand to slowly open the door.

The first thing he saw was blood.

Blood on the floor and red hand-prints on the wall, it looked like a crime scene. He quickly swung the door open only to find Aaron... lying on the bathroom floor bleeding from his stomach.

He quickly walked back to the kitchen and dropped the knife on the counter to get their medical kit, and ran back to Aaron's side on the floor, his eyes were halfway closed and his breathing heavy and ragged.

"Aaron! Can you hear me?" Neil just noticed that Aaron was wearing different clothes than he did when they left. Neil also started noticing a lot of differences but he ignored them for the time being. He needed to help Aaron first.

Aaron finally looked at him with a look he never saw on his roommate's face. He looked.. cold, his face lacked any emotion. 

"Who. Are. You," Aaron asked, his voice feral. Different from how he normally sounded. Was he joking? 

"Aaron, I need to stop the bleeding!" Yelled Neil going to touch Aaron's stomach but Aaron had a gun to his head in less than a second.

Where did he get _that_? Was it Neil's? No, Neil was positive he locked his room before leaving.

"What the fuck?!"

"I asked you a question," said Aaron like he wasn't losing blood, "answer me or I'll blow your brains out."

He didn't sound like he was joking at all.

"I'm Neil! You're fucking roommate! Did you injure your head as well as your stomach?" Asked Neil opening the medical kit.

The gun was still pointed to his head, but he ignored it. He needed to stop the bleeding and call an ambulance.

Besides, it wasn't the first time someone pointed a gun at him.

Aaron looked confused for a split second but the expression faded and the stony expression returned, "you're Aaron's roommate?"

Maybe he has a concussion or some serious head injury. Neil stared at him for a while before going for his stomach again. 

"Don't touch me," warned Aaron, putting the gun to Neil's temple.

"I need to stop the bleeding before you fucking die, asshole!" Screamed Neil. Why was he being such a jerk right now?!

Aaron glared at him before opening his mouth, "where's Aaron?" 

"You're Aaron. I'm Neil, and you have a fucking concussion." 

"I'm not Aaron," said Aaron, "where is he."

"Let me help you, please?" Neil asked quietly.

"I hate that.. word," coughed Aaron, "don't use it."

"Okay. I won't. Just... let me do what I can before I can call an ambulance," said Neil.

"No ambulance," glared Aaron.

Neil nodded and hovered his hand over Aaron's stomach. "Can I touch you?"

Aaron nodded and moved the gun away from his temple but was still pointing at him. Neil let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and got to work.

His major wasn't anything medical, but he learned a lot of things from his mother, his time in Baltimore, and even Aaron. He used the scissors from the kit to cut the shirt. There was blood everywhere.

He took a deep breath and thought that this wasn't the first time he stitched a wound.

He got a piece of cloth and started cleaning some of the blood to see the wound. It didn't look deep enough to make any serious or permanent damage and it didn't look like the knife hit any artery, which was a very good thing. The wound was long though.

He put on the disposable gloves from the kit, and started attending to the wound and keeping an eye on Aaron's breathing and his chest movements. He was breathing heavily and Neil could see he was fighting himself really hard to keep his eyes open and staring at Neil's hands.

Neil applied pressure to the wound and looked at Aaron, "what happened?"

Aaron only glared at him and didn't open his mouth. Neil could see that the hand holding the gun was slowly going down to rest by Aaron's side. 

"Talk to me, Aaron," said Neil. "I need to keep you awake. What happened? Is Katelyn okay?"

Aaron raised an eyebrow, "and who is Katelyn exactly?" His voice sounded weaker than earlier. Neil needed to work fast.

"This is not a time for jokes. Did you hit you head? And who did this to you?" Said Neil as he slowly lifted his hand from the wound to start cleaning and disinfecting it if the bleeding stopped. "I'll kill them.” 

Aaron's lips curled up, "oh? Are you strong enough to fight six armed people at the same time?"

Neil ignored the question because yes, he definitely can, but Aaron didn't need to know that.

"I'm gonna clean the wound. It's gonna hurt like hell," Neil got the saline bottle from the kit and looked at Aaron for a go signal.

"I think I can handle a little sting." 

Neil nodded and poured the solution to the wound. Aaron hissed and held the gun tighter in his hand. After he cleaned the wound thoroughly, he dried it with clean gauze. After he made sure it was clean, he got the needle and thread from the kit. He put both of the objects in a small bowl to sterilize them. 

Neil looked at Aaron who was still looking at him, "I'm gonna stitch the wound since you don't want a hospital. Luckily the wound isn't that deep."

Aaron only gave him a small nod before looking at the needle and thread.

"Have you ever had stitches?"

"Have you ever stitched someone?” Aaron challenged with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes," answered Neil honestly, and looked at Aaron expectedly.

"Yes," answered Aaron.

Neil nodded, "that makes things easier," he made sure his gloves were tight on his hands before grabbing the needle and inching closer to Aaron. "I'm gonna start now."

Aaron only looked at him, his lips pressed into a tight line. Neil nodded again and put his attention back to the wound.

He started stitching with practiced ease, and Aaron was proving to be really tough. Neil expected him to make at least one grumpy comment and/or a noise in pain.

After he was done stitching the wound, he tied the thread on the side and cut the rest of the thread off.

He used a clean, damp gauze to clean the wound once again and he finally applied the antibiotic ointment to the stitched wound.

"This'll help avoid infections. Hopefully."

Finally, he bandaged the wound and taped it to the skin.

He sat back, his back to the clean wall, and took a deep breath staring at Aaron. The other man staring right back at him. 

He sighed and got up, "You lost a lot of blood. You need to eat something." Aaron looked at Neil's extended hand and glared at it, "just take my hand, asshole."

Aaron took his hand, and Neil pulled him up. He lead them to the couch in the living room and Aaron sat down. "Stay. I'll make you something." 

Neil walked to the kitchen after he made sure Aaron would stay in the couch, and after washing his hands, he made the easiest (and the fastest) thing he knew how to make; ramen noodles.

He gathered everything they had that would help with a blood loss, which wasn’t much. Just milk, some oranges, bananas, and some green vegetables. The best option for blood loss was red meat but they didn't have any. Maybe he should order a delivery.

The ramen didn't take long and he put everything on a big serving plate and carried it to the living room. Aaron was still sitting on the couch and the gun has disappeared, in his pants Neil imagined.

He stared at Neil with his cold look.

"What?" Aaron ignored him as he set the plate on the table. "Do you want me to call for a delivery from the restaurant down the street?"

Aaron looked at the vegetables and milk with a disgusted face, then he took the ramen bowl and started eating it.

"Veggies, milk, and fruit help you regain strength and rebuild your blood level," said Neil, he couldn't believe Aaron needed him to know that. 

Now that the threat of dying was over, Neil couldn't help but notice the small things in Aaron that he never noticed before, like the small cut just above his right eyebrow, or his pierced right ear. Has Aaron always had a pierced ear? He just never notices these kind of stuff.

Aaron gagged and continued eating his ramen. Neil sighed, "at least you like fruit, eat them." Aaron stayed silent so Neil continued watching him eat. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

"No," replied Aaron.

"Are you going to tell me if Katelyn is okay?" Asked Neil. 

Aaron finally looked at him for a while before returning his eyes on his food. He didn't say anything. 

Neil got up and went into Aaron's room to find him a shirt that wasn't ripped and bloody, something big maybe. He went through his closet and finally found a big blue sweatshirt. He took it and returned to the living room where Aaron was still eating his noodles.

Neil handed him the shirt and sat down, he continued to watch Aaron, waiting for answers to his piling questions. 

"Staring," said Aaron without looking at him.

"Just trying to figure out if you've always been like this. When did you pierce your ear?" Asked Neil. He was sitting on the floor in front of the table and Aaron.

Aaron stared at him, his gaze more intense than ever, "you really are an idiot," before Neil could get a chance to reply, Aaron continued, "I told you, I'm not Aaron."

"And I told you, you obviously have a concussion," said Neil. Why did he keep repeating that?

Aaron groaned, "Aaron is my brother," he continued slowly as if he was talking to a child, "my. Twin. Brother."

Neil tilted his head to the side and squinted his eyes at Aaron, "is that so?"

Aaron rolled his eyes, the _way he always does_ , and said, "believe it or not, it's your fucking choice."

Twin brother? No way.

Aaron never mentioned having a brother. All he had was a cousin, Nicky, living in Germany with his boyfriend. Aaron would tell him if he had a freaking twin brother. But... he acted so differently. 

"Well, what's your name, Not-Aaron?" Asked Neil. He should definitely take him to a hospital to check his head. But he couldn't see any blood in his head, and his hair was blond so he would easily see if there was something.

"Andrew." 

"Hmm."

Aaron/Andrew finished eating and put his bowl back on the table. Then he looked at the vegetables, "Take these disgusting things away from me." 

"Okay," sighed Neil, taking everything back to the kitchen. His mind was replaying everything Aaron just said. Andrew? Is that possible, Aaron having a twin?

He put everything back to its place, and opened the freezer to get Aaron his vanilla ice cream pint. Maybe that'll make him less bitchy. As he closed the freezer door, he saw that Aaron was standing at the doorway, wearing the blue sweatshirt. He obviously was struggling but trying to play it cool, "I told you to stay seated."

"You can't tell me what to do," said Aaron.

Neil signed and gestured to one of the kitchen stools, "sit there." Aaron glared at him, not moving. "Do you want ice cream or not?"

Aaron eyed the pint then walked to the counter and sat down on the stool, "vanilla? Really?"

"It's your favorite," argued Neil.

"My favorite is chocolate chip cookie dough," said Aaron with the blankest face and deadpan tone. 

"No, it's not," said Neil, "you asked me to get vanilla for you today!"

"Again. Not Aaron," said Aaron.

"If you really are his twin or whatever, I think he would've said something about having a brother," said Neil, pulling the chocolate ice cream from the freezer and putting the vanilla back.

"Is your learning curve a horizontal line?" Asked Aaron. Andrew? This was confusing.

"Just eat." said Neil sliding the pint to Aaron from across the counter. Aaron took it and opened it and started eating.

They stayed in silence with Aaron eating ice cream and Neil watching him. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He took it out to see a new message from Aaron. What.

Neil opened the text and found that it was a reply to his text earlier.

 

 **Neil:**  are you home?

 **Aaron:**  no, I think I'll stay with Katelyn tonight. why

 

Neil looked up to see that Aaron was still eating his ice cream and ignoring Neil. His heart started beating a little faster. Is this how he dies? By the hands of a fucking ghost after he helped and fed him?

Neil called Aaron's number and the line started ringing but he couldn't hear anything from the man in front of him, who finally dragged his eyes to Neil. That didn't mean anything, he could easily have his phone on silent.

The other end picked up, and Aaron's voice came from the phone, "I hope you have a good reason to why you're bothering me right now."

What the actual fuck?

Neil stared at the man in front of him in disbelief. Is it true? The man raised his eyebrow and shoved a spoon full of ice cream in his mouth.

"Neil? Are you there?" Aaron's voice came from the other end of the line again.

"Yes," said Neil finally finding his voice again. "How am I looking at you right now if you're still out with Katelyn?"

The Aaron in front of him snorted. He wasn't Aaron, he was Andrew. Aaron's twin brother.

"What the fuck are you talking about? Are you high right now?" Aaron's voice said.

"Do you know an Andrew?" Asked Neil then realized how stupid the question sounded, of fucking course he would know an Andrew. They were frigging twins. What were the odds?

"What? How do you know him?" Asked Aaron, sounding angry.

"So he is your twin brother?" Asked Neil. Well, that's definitely better than a ghost or a clone. "He's in the apartment, eating our ice cream."

"What- what does he want?" Aaron was almost yelling.

"Relax. He just needed help stitching a cut everything is fine now. Don't worry," said Neil.

"Give me him."

OK. So they don't have the best relationship. Neil handed the phone to Andrew, "for you."  

Andrew rolled his eyes and took the phone with his free hand. "Hello, brother," greeted Andrew, though it sounded awfully like sarcasm.

He couldn't hear what Aaron was saying but he heard yelling from the other end of the line.

Andrew kept the phone away from his ear as he ate another spoon of the ice cream. When the screaming died down, Andrew put the phone against his ear again.

"Are you done screaming my ear off?" 

Andrew was silent for a while then said with an almost smile. A _humorless_ smile. "You were the closest, and I thought maybe I should test how studying to be a doctor was working out for you."

He was silent once again then rolled his eyes, "whatever." He hung up and threw the phone at Neil who caught it based on pure instincts alone. 

"You two don't seem to be the best brothers there are," said Neil pocketing his phone.

"Did it finally get through that thick little head of yours that there are two of us?" Said Andrew finishing his ice cream. Neil wondered how does he work out to stay in such a perfect shape when he eats ice cream like this.

"Yeah... sorry about that," apologized Neil, "but you broke into my place and bled all over my bathroom, and I saved your life. I think we're even."

"Don't flatter yourself, the wound was shallow," said Andrew getting up.

"You're leaving?" Asked Neil getting up with Andrew.

"Important places to be, important people to ignore," said Andrew walking to the door.

"You never told me what happened to you," said Neil once they were by the door. He isn't supposed to give in to his curiosity since this wasn't his roommate, but he couldn't help it.

Andrew stopped walking and looked back at him. He pulled out a phone from his own pocket and handed it to Neil, "put your number here."

"Why?" Neil looked at him then the phone questioningly.

Andrew looked back at him, face as blank as a clean paper, "I don't like to be in debt to anyone. You get to ask me a few questions for your..  _troubles_."

 


	2. two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> warnings for this chapter: flashbacks to child abuse (from Mary), Kevin and Jean make an appearance, an almost panic attack?, and we learn a bit more about Neil (and his past) and Andrew and some of the other foxes!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guys :'))) the comments and kudos on the last chapter were literary the highlight of my week like i don't deserve this with this shitty story but I'll take it! anyways i just had to post another chapter bc you guys are just *clench hands* amazing! i thankfully finished a test today and decided to post this before Thursday bc i have TWO freaking tests then. wish me luck!

** NEIL'S POV **

 

As soon as the door closed after Andrew, Neil locked it and put his back to it. What were the fucking odds that Aaron had a twin brother? Not that rare but so freaking weird.

Neil allowed himself to take a moment and breathed deeply. He moved away from the door and to the bathroom. He was kind of hoping everything would be clean when he opens the door, but of course the blood was still everywhere. Neil felt dirty even though there weren't any blood on his hands or his person, he wanted to scrub his skin raw. The phantom of the oh-so-familiar blood was stuck to him now, and the smell was too strong in his nostrils.

 

He sighed and moved inside the bathroom to start cleaning it. It wasn't that dry so thankfully it cleaned pretty easily. After the bathroom was white without the hint of red again, Neil used bleach to get rid of the horrible smell and help disinfect the floor.

 

After Neil was satisfied with the bathroom he went into his bedroom and got new set of clothes, then he walked back to his only bathroom to take a long hot shower.

Neil stripped his clothes and put them in the laundry basket, and looked at his body (something he tries to ignore every time he takes  off  his clothes), he felt like there was blood stuck on him but of course there wasn't anything, the only thing on his body were the crisscrossing scars on his chest and abdomen that came with years of being by his father's side, and of course the unpleasant black raven tattoo on his forearm.

 

He wishes he could just scrub it off, the tattoo came with an ocean of bad memories and Neil was drowning in the red blood.

Neil wasn't a good person, that's a fact. And he isn't about to give excuses for the bad things he did, the horrible things he had to do for his father. He was a bad person, end of the story. But oh what he would give to take back everything he did.

Neil sighed again and got inside the tub, as soon as the hot water hit his skin he started rubbing and scrubbing his body clean. He stopped after his skin turned red and it burned every time a water drop hit his body.

He got out of the shower and dried off with his towel before putting on his long sleeves shirt and a pair of comfortable sweatpants. The apartment was still silent when he exited the bathroom. Aaron doesn't seem to be back home yet. Good.

After he made sure everything was locked, Neil went inside his bedroom and locked the door behind him. He flopped face first into the cold mattress and exhaled.

He has a home away from his father, a bed and a locked door. No one here expects him to be the leader's perfect son, or the next leader. No one here expects him to stand next to his father as he gave another one of his disgustingly scary 'motivational' speeches, after all Nathan Wesninski was the merciless leader of the ravens, the merciless gang full of murderers, rapists, thieves, and drug dealers.

Neil shouldn't think of them. He's away from that stuff now, no one was after him, and no one knew who he really was here. He's happy. But Andrew with his gun and the sight of blood, the heavy breathing, and the strong words brought back the things he locked away in his head almost two years ago when he was banished from Baltimore, the only home he'd ever known. No matter how horrible.

 

That day was the happiest and the bitterest day of his life. On one hand he left his father and all the nightmarish things he ordered his son to do. On the other hand, he had to leave behind all the things he ever known, and the people he held very dear to his heart.

His friends, no, brothers, Kevin and Jean. He never wanted to see them suffer but they did, without him there to defend them and stand in front of them like a wall from the rage of Riko, they surely did.

And his mother. Mary Hatford's face didn't betray what she was really feeling that day. But Abram knew his mother too well. She beat him senseless one day when his father decided that Neil was too weak for their line of work.

Neil closed his eyes as the memory flooded back to his brain.

 

** flashback **

Neil was sitting on the couch with Jean and Kevin, they were silent, away from Riko, and content with each other's presence. His 17th birthday was coming up, and he was steadily approaching the day he'll be his father's second in command. The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth, and Jean and Kevin knew it all without Neil having to say anything.

Mary strode into the room like she always did when she was angry, her presence was enough to send Neil, Kevin and Jean to their feet. All three boys looked her in the eyes as she closed the distance between them, Mary despises a weak man after all.

"Moreau. Day. get out." Said Mary with a calm that chilled Neil's bones. Jean was obviously feeling it too. He stuttered out a "yes, ma'am" before wincing at his obvious display of weakness. Kevin doing the same. Mary strangely didn't care and dismissed them with a flick of her hand.

After they exited the room and closed the door gently behind them, Neil saw the fury in Mary's eyes. He didn't dare to open his mouth.

"Abram." Said Mary, she only ever uses his middle name when they're alone "I was just with your father, he thinks you're becoming weaker.

Neil kept his eyes on Mary and his mouth sealed shut, he wasn't dumb enough to talk when she didn't give him the permission to. She continued "if you don't prove him wrong in the next job, he'll kill you. Do you want that?"  


"No, ma'am." Said Neil.

Mary walked closer to him and fisted his shirt pulling him to her "don't patronize me!" Neil stayed silent, his eyes locked on Mary's, and his arms limp by his sides. "if you don't show him what he wants to see, I'll kill you myself. Do you understand?"

"Yes, mom." Said Neil.

The first slap didn't surprise him, and neither did the second or the third or any other one after that. "Do you understand Abram?!" Screamed Mary as she continued beating her son.

Neil knew better than to ignore her, even though it hurt his face when he talked "y-yes, mom"

She kept screaming at him and beating him with her fists until he started bleeding. Then she kissed his forehead, caressing his red cheek, and whispered "it's because I love you, my Abram."

 

Neil nodded, too dazed to open his mouth. She kissed him again and called for Jean to come help him to his room.

 

** end of flashback **

 

Neil shivered, he felt his breathing becomes irregular. He put his hands under his pillow to feel the familiar gunmetal. He took a deep breath through his nose and let it out through his mouth. His mother wasn't the best person there is, Neil knew that. But she was his mother, she did everything she could to save him from his father's hands. She did it because she loved him. And he loved her too.

He sat up on his bed when he got his breathing under control, and took his phone from the bedside table. What would he give to call Jean or Kevin. But he wouldn't break his mother's rules. If he tried to get in touch with anyone in Baltimore or West Virginia that'll mean his death. After all, his father let him go one time, he won't do it again.

Neil had two missed calls and five texts from Aaron and two texts from Katelyn. He sighed and opened the texts from Aaron first.

** Aaron:  ** neil kick andrew out of the apartment idc if you drag him out

**Aaron: ** you shouldn't touch him tho

**Aaron: ** are you dead??

** Aaron: ** NEIL YOU BETTER PICK UP YOUR PHONE!

**Aaron: ** fuck you asshole if andrew didn't kill you i will

Neil couldn't stop the smile tugging at his lips, this was so Aaron. How did he even mistake Aaron with Andrew? He texted his roommate back.

** Neil: ** still alive, was in the shower and andrew already left.

The texts from Katelyn were obviously from Aaron so he didn't bother replying to those. It was almost midnight and he needed sleep. His muscles felt weak after all that happened today. He sighed and laid down on his bed. Closing his eyes, Neil crept into the land of nightmares.

 

* * *

 

**ANDREW'S POV**

Well that was quite weird. Andrew just got some hot guy's number, which was a good thing of course. But the guy was Aaron's strange roommate. Mhm, how interesting. He definitely has to research the man now. Just for his brother safety, thought Andrew.

 

Andrew started his car and drove to the tower. Thirty minutes later he reached the apartment complex, and parked his car in the underground parking lot. After he put in the password, Andrew took the elevator to the second floor, to Abby's apartment.

There were a few perks to being Andrew Minyard, one of them was how he got the entire third floor to himself.

He knocked the nurse's door three times and waited. He has to make sure the stitches are okay, and make sure that he didn't have any infection. He didn't trust that Neil.

Abby opened the door and smiled softly when she saw Andrew leaning on the doorframe. "Andrew! Come in."

 

She made room for him to walk into her place and he went straight to her kitchen. He was still hungry, and who the fuck offers their guests ramen noodles? Also, Abby always make the best food.

 

Andrew opened the fridge and pulled a food containers out. It looks like lasagna. Abby walked into the kitchen and took the container from him "I'll heat it for you. Do you want garlic bread?"

Andrew shook his head and sat down on the kitchen counter stool. She hummed and started talking about her day.

 

After finishing his plate, Andrew washed his hands and went into Abby's office. She was sitting on her chair tapping her laptop. When she saw him, she stopped "how was dinner?"

"Good. I got stabbed, and someone stitched the wound, can you check it out." Said Andrew sitting on the high chair.

Abby stared at him with an open mouth then quickly rose to her feet "what?! Why didn't you tell me earlier??"

"Was hungry." Shrugged Andrew.

"Andrew." Scolded Abby. Andrew shrugged again and lifted his sweatshirt to show her. Aaron's ugly blue sweatshirt. Abby examined the wound and the stitching asking Andrew some questions about the injury, and if she should tell Wymack. Andrew of course told her there's no need for that.

"Who did your stitches?" Asked Abby finishing her examination and gave Andrew clean bandages and pain killers, it was only numb but he wasn't about to turn down some pain killers.

"Someone." Said Andrew getting up to his feet.

"The stitches are very good and strong, almost professional but not quite." Said Abby returning to her chair. Now wasn't that interesting. Andrew nodded to her and walked out of the apartment. The second thing he needed to do was speak to Renee.

 

She lived on the second floor, down the hall from Abby. Andrew knocked and leaned back. After he heard heard a faint "come in!" He opened the door and walked in.

Allison was laying on the couch with her head on Renee's lap. She gave him one look and sighed, sitting up. Renee smiled at him "hello, Andrew."

"I need to talk to you." Said Andrew ignoring Allison right back. Renee nodded and told him she'll meet him in his apartment in five minutes.

 

Andrew finally went to the third floor and walked into his apartment and locked the five locks behind him. He changed into something comfortably black. Maybe he should burn the ugly sweatshirt later. While he was smoking by the open window, he heard light knocking from the front door. He put the cigarette out and walked to his door to open it.

Renee smiled at him and walked into the apartment. "What happened to that man you were after?"

Ah yes, the man he was after. John Parker was a small time drug dealer down the street from Eden's Twilight. Andrew would've left him alone (because he wasn't exactly in their territory) if he wasn't a sickening child molester. Thankfully the world is a little better now since he was one hundred percent "Dead." Andrew said feeling satisfied.

Renee nodded "he deserved it." Renee doesn't normally indulge him in his.. activities, so he knows how this man effected her when she said that.  


"I got into some a small inconvenience with his thugs after he died, nothing major just a light stab wound." Said Andrew returning to the window and lighting another cigarette.

"Are you alright?" Renee  Asked  sitting beside him. He nodded.

"This is not what i wanted to talk to you about." Said Andrew taking a long inhale of the smoke and held it for a while then exhaled through his mouth and nose. Renee was sitting patiently. He took another drag and started talking about what happened, going to Aaron's, not finding him but his roommate (who Andrew thought was breaking in. 'I mean he looked like a homeless man.') and he continued talking about Neil. "He's strange."

Renee hummed along "and you need a background check." She didn't phrase as a question so Andrew didn't answer, taking another drag from the cigarette and tapped the ashes off. She continued "I'll ask Allison. Do you want Wymack to know about it?"

"Not yet." Said Andrew.

"Okay." Smiled Renee.  


"In the meantime, I need to talk to Matt." Said Andrew putting the cigarette out and standing up. Renee doing the same.

"Do you think he'll agree to do what you ask him?" Said Renee. She didn't have to continue what she meant, Matt wasn't with the foxes. And Dan will kill you if something happened to him. But that was the only reason he chose Matt, beside the fact that he was insufferably friendly, he wasn't with the foxes.

 

"I guess I'll have to persuade him into agreeing." Said Andrew putting on his shoes.

~

Matt was in the boxing ring at the gym, of course. Even at 9 PM. He was obviously teaching a woman how to throw a punch when Andrew walked in the huge room.

"Boyd." Called Andrew raising his voice to catch Matt's attention. Matt looked at him and pulled his eyebrows together, then said something to the woman and half-walked half-jogged to Andrew.

"Is everything okay?" Asked Matt when he was close enough.

"I have a job for you." Said Andrew.  


Matt tilted his head to the side "does Dan know about this?"

"You can tell her I don't care." Said Andrew "the job is right up your alley."

Matt sighed "who is it?"

"His name is Neil Josten."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if there are any mistakes pls hit me up

**Author's Note:**

> Idk where I'm going with this but i wrote the first couple of chapters someone pls help


End file.
